Indian Americans in limelight with PM's US visit
NRIs from around the country are coming to the nation's capital to see leaders of two countries at close quarters.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit has put the focus on the nearly 1.6 million strong Indian American community that has made a significant contribution to better understanding between the two countries.
Unlike the anxious excitement of the past, today's Indian American not just exhibits a confidence of his or her individual achievements in the US but takes pride in what India has achieved.
The sense that it is a "more equal" relationship between the world's largest and the oldest democracies is not lost to India watchers.
"You know, in the past when prime ministers came to this country, we were fewer and we were still not as established," said Mahinder Tak, an art connoisseur whose husband is involved in energy projects in India.
"I am very thrilled about this visit because everything is going so well," says the Maryland-based physician Navin Shah.
"There is so much going on and high level of cooperation on terrorism, business. It is exciting and I am taking guests to the White House reception."
Kumar Barve, the Democratic House Majority leader in the Maryland state assembly, said: "There's not as much excitement as when prime minister (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee came but people are happy he (Prime Minister Singh) is coming and he is going to address the joint session of Congress.
"I think Indo-US close relations now don't make so much news. I think people are taking it a bit for granted."
Granted or not, Indian Americans from around the country are coming to the nation's capital to see leaders of the two countries at close quarters.
Many of them were there at Andrews Air Force Base, waving Indian and American flags, to welcome Manmohan Singh when he arrived here Sunday afternoon from Frankfurt.
Many cheered "Manmohan Singh, Zindabad" (Long Live Manmohan), forcing the prime minister and his wife to come over and shake hands with them.
It also appears as if the White House, the State Department and the Indian embassy have invited a lot of notable Indian Americans from US states to various events and receptions during the prime minister's three-day visit.